Collapsible display holder



July 31, 1951 M. J. vlGLlETTA 2,562,590

"` COLLAPSIBLE DISPLAY HOLDER Filed March 24, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Patented July 31, 17951 UNITED STAT T GFFICE ooLLAPsIBLE DISPLAY HOLDERMichael J. Viglitta, Elmhurst, N. Y., assignor to Royal Mounters, Inc.,Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationMarch 24, 1948,Serial No. 16,762

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to a display device of thepicture frame type embodying a normally raised and collapsible frame.

The invention is directed more particularly to an improved frame adaptedto form a raised border or margin when in the display position and toflatten out to substantially a single plane when the device is collapsedfor shipping or storing purposes.

It has been found that display devices with three dimensional appearanceattract the attention of a greater number of persons than a merely lattype of display device. The appearance of a photograph, a picture andthe like placed in the center portion of such a device is considerablyenhanced.

The present invention aims to provide a new and improved picture frametype of display device. that has an improved appearance and is sturdierwhen the frame is in a collapsed or. display position.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved collapsibleframe type display device.

Another object is to provide an improved border on a picture framedisplay device of the collapsible type that lattens substantially intothe plane of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved borderconstruction for a picture frame display device adapted to be easily andquickly assembled or collapsed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame with a border ofimproved appearance that is readily moved from a flat to a displayposition.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, orAwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to` herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the-accompanying drawings,forming a part of the speciiication, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the present display device in assembledor display position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a corner of the device incollapsed position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4a through 4d are fragmentary sectional views: showing variousformations of frameportions; Y

Fig. 5 is a front view of a corner of adisplay device having a bordershown in Fig. 4c; and

Fig. 6' is a front View of the display device (shown in Fig.` 5) incollapsed position illustrating another locking means for holding theframe in display position.

Referring in detail to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings there is shown adisplay device of the picture frame type comprising a center panel ordisplayy portion I and a frame 2 around the panel I. The frame 2 isofthe collapsible type adapted to give a three dimensionall appearanceto the display device when in a raised or display position and toflatten into substantially a single plane for storing or shipping. Ifdesired usual support members such as the legs or hanging vtab may beattached to the rear of the device to hold it in display position.

The panel I is shown of a rectangular shape and the frame 2 ispreferably comprised of frame portions 3, 4, 5, 6 along the edges of thecenter portion I. Each of the frame portions 3, il, 5, t comprises aback section l, 8, 9,. Ill and a margin or, border II, i2, I3, I4respectively. The center panel I and the. back sections l, 8, 9, l0 arepreferably formed from a single sheet of sufficiently sturdy cardboard,paperboard, or other suitable material with score or creases lines I5,I6, il, i8 on the sheet to facilitate the back sectionsV 3, 5, 6 flexingforwardly.

.The borders or margins II, I2, I 3, I d may be partvor continuationofthe same sheet of cardboard or material from which the back sectionsandcenter panel I are formed, or may be of a thinner and suitablydecorated or imprinted ilexible cardboard or other similar materialatttached to a respective back section and the center panel.V Theborders are adapted to lie substantially Vilat against the back sectionwhen the display device is in the collapsed position and to move or flexoutwardly when the back sections are moved forwardly into the displayposition.

The border may have various shapes depending upon the thickness andlexibilities of the cardboard or material used to make the border, the.manner of attachment to the back section or center panel, or thecreasing or scoring of the cardboard or material. Some of the possibleshapes are illustrated in Fig. 3 and Figs. la-4d. A preferred form isthe gently curved or rounded form shown in Figs. 1-3. As shown, eachborder or margin of a frame portion is made of a single sheet. offlexible material and attached along an outer portion of a respectiveback sectionv and. along a portion. of the display' panel I spaced.

from the crease between the back section and the center panel.

The border is attached to the rear area along an outer or marginal edgeof a back section, extending around and over the edge of the backsection, and is attached to the display portion so that its inner edgeis at a location spaced slightly inwardly from the respective frame backsection. For a neat appearance the border may be attached to the displayportion I by folding under and outwardly a narrow strip of the frameportion and securing it by adhesive, stapling or other suitable means,to the display portion I. This is best illustrated by the crosssectional view of the frame portion 5 in Fig. 3 where the attachment ofthe border I3 to the back section 9 and the display panel I is shown indetail.

Attaching of the border I3 to the back frame section 9 may be bycementing, stapling, or securing by other suitable means thelongitudinal strip 22 of the border I3 along its unexposed orunornamented surface to the rear surface of the outer portion '23 of theback section 9. The border extends around and under the end or outeredge 24 of the back section `9. To effectively attach the border I3 at adistance from the score line I1, the longitudinal strip 25 is foldedunder or back on the border I3 to give a hinge like effect 26 andfastened by suitable means to an outwardly disposed area 21 of thedisplay portion I. The longitudinal strip 25 is shown parallel to thescore line I'I but it could be at a suitable angle, depending upon theparticular shape desired in an erected device. On moving a frame backsection 9 forwardly along a score line I'I the distance between theouter edge 24 of the back section and fold 26 of the border tends toshorten, forcing the border I3 to flex or curve. The other framesections are similar and the foregoing description applies to theirconstruction, arrangement and operation.

At the corners of the device the adjacent borders overlap when indisplay position, the end of one border labutting against the surface ofan adjacent border to provide a continuous frame surface. This ispreferably accomplished by having the end of one border extend past thefold of the other, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the lower border I4extends to the score line I'I of the adjacent back section 9 and theside border I3 extends up to the fold 2B of the lower border I4. On thebending of the back sections along the respective score lines theborders flex into a curved shape and the end 29 of the shortened borderI3 extends over the surface of the adjacent border I4. This end 29 ispreferably cut or formed to t the contours of the surface of theadjacent border when in display position so that it will substantiallyabut along the entire width of the surface. The end 30 of the adjacentor overlapped border extends past the end 29 when in display positionand is cut to permit the tab I9 to be inserted in the slot 20 formed inthe back section I0. As illustrated in Fig. 2 this end is also cut in acurve.

The frame portions are held in display position by retaining or lockingmeans at the ends of the back sections. Complementary elements onadjacent ends at the corner of the device interlock where the frameportions are raised to the display or assembled position securelyholding the frames.

Since the construction of the retaining means at each of the corners ofthe display device is similar a description of one will suffice for all.

The locking means, shown in Fig. 2', comprises a tab I9 on the edge ofback section 9 and a slot 20 through the adjacent back section I0. Thetab I9 is a continuation of and in the same plane as the cardboard sheetcomprising the back section and is xedly secured thereto. On assemblingthe device into display position the frame portions f2 'are bent at anangle to the display portions I and the tab I 9 fitted into the slot 20to retain the frame in the display position. The lower edge 2I abutsevenly against the surface of the adjacent back section I0. With each ofthe corners interlocked in the above manner the back sections will beretained in an angular position to the display panel.

No particular type of locking means is necessary to hold the frame indisplay as long as it securely holds the back sections together. Anothertype that may be. used is the tongue and sleeve arrangement shown inFig. 6.

Although the rounded or curved form of the border has been describedother types or shapes of borders may be used, some of which areillustrated in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4a the back section may be folded backalong the score line 33 to form a border 34 and attached to the panel bya strip similar to 25 formed by folding along the score line 35. In Fig.4b the strip 34a is not folded back Iand is attached to the panel at adistance from the crease 35a between the back section and the panel. InFig. 4c a thin iiexible cardboard is used with the strip 36 attached ata distance from the crease line 3l. In Fig. 4d the back section isfolded along the score line 33h to form a border 34h and is attached inthe same manner as the embodiment in Fig. 4a. The border has anintermediate score line 38 along which the border 34D exes or bends toform a square shape when in display position. These embodiments are onlyillustrative of the numerous shapes and forms the borders may have inutilizing the principles of this invention.

In each embodiment the abutting end or ends of the borders or marginsshould have the same contour or curve as the surface against which itabuts.

The invention is not limited to a device of a quadrilateral shape butmay be used on a display device having an odd or even number of sidessuch as a triangular shape or hexagonal shape.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a relatively simplecollapsible picture frame type of display device embodying a new andimproved frame that may be readily and easily erected to displayposition or collapsed to the storing position. The device is of sturdyconstruction and its simplicity of parts and general arrangement resultsin a device which may be inexpensively manufactured and readily andeasily erected or collapsed without requiring the use of relativelycomplicated flaps, tags or the like. It will further be seen that thedevice may have large wide frames that are sturdy and strong both in thedisplay position or storing position and also present a neat andpleasing appearance when in the display position. When in the storing orshipping position the ornamented margins are'less likely to becomecreased or other' wise damaged to render the device objectionable foruse. Y

As various changes may be made in the form', construction andarrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, itis to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A display device of theclass described com prising a central panel with collapsible borderportions, each of said border portions including a back portion hingedlyconnecting with said central panel, a front portion foldably connectingwith said central panel and with said back portion having each foldthereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width of said frontportion intermediate its foldable connections being substantially equalto the combined distances from one fold to said hinge connection andfrom the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion and frontportion lie substantially along each other when the border portions arein collapsed condition and said front portion bulges outwardly when theborder portions are in erected display condition.

2. A display device of the class described comprising a central panelwith collapsible border portions, each of said border portions includinga back portion hingedly connecting with said central panel, a frontportion foldably connecting with said central panel and with said backportion having one fold thereof spaced inwardly from said hingeconnection and the other spaced outwardly from said hinge connection,the width of said front portion intermediate its foldable connectionsbeing substantially7 equal to the combined distances from the inwardlyspaced fold to said hinge connection and from the latter to saidoutwardly spaced fold, whereby said back portion and front portion liesubstantially parallel with each other when the border portions are incollapsed condition and said front portion is spaced from the backportion when the border portions are in erected display condition, andcomplementary means carried by adjacent border portions for co-operatingto retain them in an erected display condition.

3. A display device of the class described comprising a panel surroundedby a plurality of collapsible border portions, each of said borderportions including a back portion hingedly connecting with said panel, afront portion foldably connecting with said panel and with said backportion having each fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, thewidth of said front portion intermediate its folds being substantiallyequal to the sum of the distances from one fold to said hinge connectionand from the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion andfront portion and panel lie substantially in a single plane when theborder portions are in collapsed condition and said front portion isspaced away from the back portion and above said panel when the borderportions are in erected display condition.

4. A display device of the class described comprising a panel with aplurality of collapsible border portions, each of said border portionsincluding a back portion integral with and hingedly connecting with saidpanel, a front portion of thinner material than said panel and backportion foldably secured to said panel and to said back portion andhaving each fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width ofsaid front portion intermediate its folds being substantially equal tothe sum of the distances from one fold to said hinge connection and fromthe latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion and frontportion and panel lie substantially in a single plane when the borderportions are in collapsed condition and said front portion is spacedaway from the back portion and above said panel when the border portionsare in erected display condition.

5. A display device of the class described comprising a central panelwith collapsible border portions, each of said border portions includinga back portion integral with and hingedly connecting with said centralpanel, a front portion integral with said back. portion and foldablyconnecting with said central panel and with said back portion havingeach fold thereof spaced from said hinge connection, the width of saidfront portion intermediate its foldable connections being substantiallyequal to the combined distances from one fold to said hinge connectionand from the latter to said other fold, whereby said back portion andfront portion lie substantially along each other when the borderportions are in collapsed condition and said front portion bulgesoutwardly vwhen the border portions are in erected display condition.

MICHAEL J. VIGLIETTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,310 Fisher Aug. 1, 19051,223,409 McMillan Apr. 24, 191'7 1,450,190 Sonn Apr. 3, 1923 1,528,361Bashwiner Mar. 3, 1925 2,352,436 Horr June 27, 1944 2,395,369 Burr ,Feb.19, 1946 2,407,431 Madsen Sept. 10, 1946 2,408,532 Roach Oct. 1, 19462,427,420 Rhodes Sept. 16, 1947

